CHARLESTON, S.C. - Charleston Southern opens the 2021 season this weekend with a pair of doubleheaders scheduled against both Cleveland State and Eastern Kentucky. All four games will be played at the CSU Softball Complex with the Bucs taking on Cleveland State in a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon, while CSU closes out the weekend with a doubleheader against Eastern Kentucky on Sunday.

Weekend Schedule
Saturday, February 20
Charleston Southern vs. Cleveland State (DH)
Noon * Charleston, S.C. * CSU Softball Complex * Live Stats

Sunday, February 21
Charleston Southern vs. Eastern Kentucky (DH)
1 p.m. * Charleston, S.C. * CSU Softball Complex * Live Stats

Weekend Preview
Charleston Southern makes its 2021 season debut this weekend with a pair of doubleheaders against Cleveland State and Eastern Kentucky, in lieu of their traditional season-opening tournament at the CSU Softball Complex. The Bucs will be in their first action under first-year head coach Christi Musser as they take the field for the first time since March 8, 2020, following a 7-1 win over North Carolina A&T at The Spring Games held in Longwood, Fla.

Musser took over the reins of the program in mid-January and joined the team immediately at the start of spring camp following a six-year coaching stint at Grand Canyon University where she served as the associate head coach from August 2015-May 2020. He helped pace GCU to becoming one of the top hitting teams in the NCAA in both batting average and doubles during her time in the dugout. Previous stops also include Kansas (2003-10) and New Mexico (2010-13) and her time at UNM saw the team lead the nation with 96 home runs in the 2012 season.

She brings her knowledge and experience to a mostly veteran squad of returners that have been battle-tested over the last few seasons. CSU ended the 2020 spring season on a high note with a 10-9 record following their win over N.C. A&T and had won three of five at The Spring Games, while falling to Florida State and LIU. The Bucs return key players including infielders Brooklynn Brewington, Sarah Brown, Annah Junge, Holly Clark, Rhianna Hubbard, and Ashlyn Cribb, while Ashley Meckley and Dominique Mannerino will also be looking to build off strong inaugural campaigns at CSU.

The weekend pair of doubleheaders starts tournament season for the Bucs as CSU will continue their pre-conference slate with tournaments at Coastal Carolina (Feb. 26-28) and Georgia (Mar. 5-7) prior to the start of Big South play on March 9-10 against USC Upstate.

Cleveland State and Eastern Kentucky both opened up the season this past weekend with Cleveland State hosting Bowling Green in a pair of doubleheaders over February 12-13, while EKU traveled to No. 21/23 Tennessee on February 14.

About Cleveland State
Cleveland State was selected eighth overall in the Horizon League preseason poll as voted on by the league's head coaches. The Vikings received 32 points overall, but returned veteran pitchers Taylor Betz and Hanna Griffin and senior slugger Sydney Bajusz (four HR, 15 RBI) after the shortened season. Mackenzie Tucker also returns after posting a .409 batting average over the 19 games played last season.

The Vikings swept the Horizon League's opening week awards following their season-opening series against Bowling Green. Bajusz put together five hits, three doubles and a home run over the series to earn Player of the Week recognition. Betz threw 15.0 innings, including a complete-game 3-1 win in the second game of the weekend in earning Pitcher of the Week honors.

Cleveland State opened the year falling in three of the four games against Bowling Green with their lone win coming in the second game of the opening doubleheader, 3-1. The Vikings took Bowling Green to the wire in the final game of the series before falling in extra innings, 8-7.

CSU is led by Bajusz at the plate with a .385 batting average with four runs and a trio of doubles. Gabby Shackelford has also added a home run and three RBI, while Becky Hurosky and Kiera Frascone have three hits apiece on the year. Watts (0-1, 1.45 ERA) and Betz (1-1, 2.33 ERA) are pacing the Vikings in the circle on the year.

Last Time Between the Bucs-Vikings
Charleston Southern and Cleveland State have faced off against each other twice in the last two seasons. The Bucs have won both contests between the two programs by matching 5-4 scores in their contests in the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

The Bucs won the opening contest, 5-4, in 2019 at the JU/UNF Spring Break Challenge thanks to a late RBI single from Rhianna Hubbard. In 2020, the Bucs again took the 5-4 win over the Vikings with Sarah Brown connecting on the go-ahead home run in the top of the seventh, while Holly Clark retired 11 of the final 12 batters in the win.

About Eastern Kentucky
Eastern Kentucky was selected second out of the 12 teams in the Ohio Valley Conference in a preseason poll of the league head coaches and sports information directors. The Colonels received 224 points with nine first-place votes to finish behind Southeast Missouri State in the conference's OVC poll.

EKU returns all nine starters and 17-of-18 players off last year's 22-2 team. The Colonels return their top 11 hitters from last years' team, who all hit above .200 on the season. The pitching rotation returns all four pitchers from a year ago that finished with a team ERA of 1.86.

Additionally, Ariyana Miranda was named to the OVC Players to Watch list. The redshirt-freshman from Elk Grove, California finished the 2020 season with a .320 batting average, six doubles, six home runs and 23 RBIs. Miranda's six home runs and 23 RBIs lead the team a year ago.

EKU was swept in their season-opening doubleheader in Knoxville, Tenn. on February 14 as the Colonels fell to No. 21/23 Tennessee 10-0 and 3-2 this past Sunday. The Colonels were limited to three hits over the opening weekend, but were highlighted by Carly Robinson's two-run home run over the opening weekend against the Volunteers. EKU also utilized all four pitchers on the roster with Bethany Todd hurling a complete game in the second contest over the weekend.

Last Time Between the Teams
The Bucs and Colonels last lined up against each other early in the 2018 season as CSU hosted EKU at the Buccaneer Invitational. Highlighted by Taylor Gleason's first-inning grand slam, the Bucs took the 8-0 win on February 16 against the Colonels.

On Deck
Charleston Southern is back in action next weekend at the Chanticleer Showdown as the Bucs make the trip to Conway, S.C. and St. John Stadium on the campus of Coastal Carolina University. CSU will take on Lipscomb, Marshall, and host Coastal Carolina over the three-day tournament running from February 26-28.

CSU COVID Restrictions
The Buccaneers announced capacity limitation for all home events this spring. At this time, only a limited number of guests on the home team's pass list will be allowed in attendance.

For more information and news, stay up-to-date with Buccaneer Softball via Twitter, Instagram and CSUSports.com.